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Private Half-Day Colombo City Tour
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Colombo, Sri Lanka
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From $49.00
Price varies by group size
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Private Half-Day Colombo City Tour
Free cancellation
Up to 24 hours in advance. Learn more
Cancellation policy
Free cancellation
- 24 hours prior100% refund
- Within 24 hoursNo refund
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
- Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
Learn more about cancellations
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Safety measures
Keeping you safe during COVID-19
Vaccine? Quarantine? Masking?
Vaccine? Quarantine? Masking? We know, there’s a lot to keep track of. Be sure to check local guidelines so you’re aware of all travel requirements before you go.
What you can expect during your visit
Face masks required for travelers in public areas
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Face masks provided for travelers
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Gear/equipment sanitized between use
Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
Regular temperature checks for staff
Temperature checks for travelers upon arrival
Paid stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms
Proof of COVID-19 vaccination required for travelers
COVID-19 vaccination required for guides
Safety precautions are provided by the tour operator and are not checked by Viator for accuracy
More questions?
(888) 651-9785
4 to 5 hours (approx.)
Hotel pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English
Good for avoiding crowds
Overview
Learn about the history and culture of Colombo, Sri Lanka's capital city, on this half-day private tour. Visit key landmarks including the Old Parliament building, Vihara Buddhist Temple, and St Lucia's Cathedral to learn more about the unique history and culture of Sri Lanka. Enjoy personalized attention and a flexible itinerary on this private tour, including private hotel transportation, for just you and your party.
- Discover the best of Colombo on a half-day tour
- Gain insight into the history of the city from your guide
- Feel free to customize the itinerary to your preferences
- A private guide and vehicle ensure a personalized experience
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From $49.00
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What's Included
Hotel pick-up and drop-off
Transport by private air-conditioned vehicle
Air-conditioned vehicle
Parking Fees
All Entrance Fees
Tips, gratuities and expenses of personal nature
Foods and drinks
Port entrance fee $ 20 USD per tour payable directly to the guide
Airport pickup fee 15 USD. Pickup & drop off after tour 25 USD
Departure & Return
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Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Please advise TOUR START TIME you prefer would like to secure at the time of booking
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Infant seats available
- Most travelers can participate
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
- OPERATED BY srilankabycar.com
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
- Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
Learn more about cancellations.
Frequently Asked Questions
The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.
Q:
What is the policy on face masks and attendee health during Private Half-Day Colombo City Tour?
A:The policies on face masks and attendee health are:
- Face masks required for travelers in public areas
- Face masks required for guides in public areas
- Face masks provided for travelers
- Temperature checks for travelers upon arrival
Q:
What is the policy on sanitization during Private Half-Day Colombo City Tour?
A:The policies on sanitization are:
- Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
- Gear/equipment sanitized between use
- Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
Q:
What is the social distancing policy during Private Half-Day Colombo City Tour?
A:The policy on social distancing is:
- Social distancing enforced throughout experience
Q:
What measures are being taken to ensure staff health & safety during Private Half-Day Colombo City Tour?
A:The policies on staff health & safety are:
- Regular temperature checks for staff
- Paid stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms
Traveler Photos



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Traveler Tips
- "If you find yourself in Colombo for a layover and don’t want to stay inside the airport the entire time, this is the trip for you!" See review
Reviews by Viator travelers. We perform checks on reviews
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Reviews
4.5
51 Reviews
5 stars
37
4 stars
6
3 stars
2
2 stars
2
1 star
4
Reviews by Viator travelers
We perform checks on reviews
Showing 1-10 of 51 reviews
Fun, interesting & beautiful
Christopher_M
, Mar 2022
Colombo on a layover
DerekJames_W
, Feb 2020
I participated in this activity as a solo traveler during a long layover and it was a great way to check out Colombo. The driver I had was named Kumara and took me around the city in a car. This helped going from place to place very quickly without getting lost. It was also a very safe method of traveling around the city as a solo traveler because I was with him. Kumara is also remarkably friendly and smart with deep knowledge of Sri Lanka’s history and culture. He was able to answer all the questions I asked him with outstanding details and explanation. If you find yourself in Colombo for a layover and don’t want to stay inside the airport the entire time, this is the trip for you!
Spectacular tour
Ian_W
, Jan 2020
Mars our tour guide puts you at ease straight away upon meeting him he was very friendly and knowledgeable all throughout the whole tour. I would certainly recommend taking a tour with Mars. We had a fantastic time and saw some great sights which we would not have had the chance to see without him.
Adventures in Colombo
TravelyTina
, Sep 2019
Private Day Trip of Colombo
Adeline_S
, Apr 2019
Nice tour
Sanjay_S
, Mar 2019
I used the same car service for a...
Ashley_C
, Aug 2018
Wonderful tour visiting the oldest...
Neil J
, May 2018
I must tell the truth: my...
LUIZGUSTAVO_M
, Feb 2018
I must tell the truth: my expectations about Colombo were low. The tour commenced with a visit to St. Antony's church and proceeded to other Buddhist and Hindu temples, plus a stop in the red mosque. The tour has covered nicely the entire town and our driver/guide, Kumar Vijesuriya was fantastic! He allowed us to set our pace, take thousands of photos, inquire about the places and the culture. Very knowledgeable. Actually, I must also thank Pathum Rodrigo, the tour organizer, who sent us a WhatsApp message prior the tour to welcome us and to advertise everything was on schedule.
We left Colombo with that bitter-sweet feeling: so happy for being there and get to know its beauties. At the same time, so sad to leave. I highly recommend the tour, either if you have little time in town or want to see a glimpse of what Colombo has to offer. You left us very well impressed! Thanks!
We enjoyed this tour but felt it...
Elizabeth_L
, Feb 2018
Good tour. Also driver kindly took...
Elsinore A
, Dec 2017
Godfrey our tour guide was excellent...
kenrace
, Nov 2017
Good tour. Got to see lots of Sri...
Sabrina W
, Jun 2017
Best way to see Colombo is to book a...
Liv G
, May 2017
Colombo was our first port stop of...
Michael_S
, Apr 2017
Colombo was our first port stop of 16 nights and our guide Godfrey set a very high standard.
He is very experienced, courteous, knowledgeable and a most careful driver in driving conditions which are quite testing.
We enjoyed highly all the sights he drove us to and past. Our tour of the temple was made that much more valuable by Godfrey's commentary. We left Colombo feeling that we were really familiar with its main elements and our knowledge and understanding of its history and culture was down to Godfrey's knowledge and pride in both his work and his Country.
Generally good but the drivers English...
Graham_S
, Apr 2017
We booked two trips through Viator...
David_D
, Jan 2017
We booked two trips through Viator in India Mumbai and New Mangalore and they were excellent. Great guides and drivers, really helpful commentary and comfortable transportation including the houseboat.
But, when it came to our half-day excursion in Colombo, Sri Lanka our party of eight travelled in a mini- bus that had ineffective air conditioning so much so that we had to resort to opening windows. We left the port with a driver and a guide but quickly lost the second man so our driver doubled up as the guide and with no microphone available much of his commentary was lost. There also seemed to be a reluctance to stopping for photographs etc. We were expecting a number of pre-planned photo opportunities
The doubt set in at the outset when we were asked where we would like to go- not sure if the driver/guide had been instructed on the package we had booked. However, in fairness we managed to cover quite a lot of sights. The trip ended on a bit of a low as the driver had only booked a morning pass for the port so we had to walk from the dock gates back to the ship- I guess a 10 minute walk in 90 degree heat. Kind of felt a bit unprofessional. Luckily, our party of 70 year olds, and up, were fit enough to cope!!
So, all in all rather a disappointment when set against the earlier excellent tours in India.
Our driver and guide Godfrey was...
Kay V
, Sep 2016
Our driver and guide Godfrey was every bit as knowledgable, polite and friendly as you could wish for. The itinerary was flexible, as was his time. Good recommendations for places to eat too. Sadly, the temple pictured in the add for this tour is no longer so colourful, and inside is basically a big open space with little chapels here and there...interesting culturally but not as spectacular as I was expecting.
Overall, very happy with this tour - prompt pick up, clean, cool and comfortable car, driven safely...what more could you want?
Gebucht war eine deutschsprachige...
Achim
, May 2017
Gebucht war eine deutschsprachige Tour und bei Buchung haben wir gebeten, von unserem Kreuzfahrtschiff abgeholt zu werden statt vom Hotel. Nach einer halben Stunden Warten in der prallen Sonne haben wir erfahren, daß nur Taxen einer bestimmten Gesellschaft das Hafengelände betreten können. Hätte man uns das vorher auch mitgeteilt, hätten wir es anders organisieren können. Wir sind dann zwanzig Minuten über das Hafengelände geirrt, bis wir den Ausgang gefunden haben. Der Fahrer wartete dann tatsächlich noch auf uns. Wir sollten dann in Tuck-Tucks steigen, da sein Auto nicht in der Nähe geparkt war und bis zum Taxi fahren. Bei Ankunft hat der Tuck-Tuck Fahrer die Hand aufgehalten. Das Auto war aufgeheizt und die Klimaanlage funktionierte extrem schlecht. In der ersten Zeit fuhren wir mit geöffnetem Fenster. Auf der restlichen Reise war es eigentlich trotz Klimaanlage viel zu heiß im Auto. Der Reiseführer sprach sehr schlecht Deutsch. Er meinte, er könnte doch alles auf Englisch erklären und ich könnte es dann doch auf Deutsch übersetzen - das hatten wir nicht gebucht. In der ersten halben Stunde zeigte er uns die Hotels des Ortes. Nachdem ich ihm sagte, daß wir kein Hotel suchen, da wir mit dem Kreuzfahrtschiff da seien, hörte er endlich damit auf. Zu den einzeln Sehenswürdigkeiten konnte er fast nichts sagen. Immer nur: Guck mal hier. Weder zur Geschichte, noch zur Gegenwart konnte er etwas über die gesehen Gebäude und Tempel erzählen. Wir wissen bis heute nicht, wie die Sehenswürdigkeiten heißen. Wir wollten dann zum Abschluss zu einen Gewürzgarten, um Gewürze einzukaufen. Da brachte er uns zu einen Supermarkt. Schade, das hatten wir uns alles ganz anders vorgestellt, insbesondere weil wir nur einen halben Tag in Colombo hatten. Dieser Ausflug war weder interessant, noch hat er eine schöne Stimmung vermitteln können.
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